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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Buttercream Frosting Recipes

    Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

    Published: Sep 29, 2023 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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    This Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe is completely dairy-free and is perfect for frosting cakes or piping onto cupcakes! And it only requires 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to make.

    Vegan and Dairy-Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting in a white bowl with a gold spoon in it.
    This frosting is reliable, fast and delicious!

    This frosting my my most made recipe. Its easy to make and is super versatile. I use it to frost cakes like my Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake, and to pipe onto cupcakes like these Cardamom Vanilla Cupcakes. It comes out perfect and fluffy every single time.

    But if Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting sounds too plain for your baking projects, my Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream Frosting and Vegan Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting are reader favorites!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Vegan Buttercream Frosting
    • Expert Tips and Tricks
    • Special Equipment
    • Uses
    • Storage
    • Looking for More Buttercream and Frosting Recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    Vegan Butter: My top recommendation is Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. But a close second is Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.

    Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is super fine and gives this American-style buttercream its smooth consistency.

    Vanilla Extract: For the vanilla flavor in this vegan vanilla buttercream frosting.

    Non-Dairy Milk: A bit of non-dairy milk helps make the buttercream light and fluffy.

    Overhead photo of vegan butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and non-dairy milk.
    This is all you need to make a light and fluffy frosting!

    How to Make Vegan Buttercream Frosting

    This dairy-free buttercream frosting only requires a few simple steps.

    First, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it is completely smooth.

    Next, add the powdered sugar and mix on low until its just incorporated.

    Vegan butter creamed in a metal bowl.
    First, cream the vegan butter until its completely smooth.
    Mixing dairy-free buttercream frosting in a metal bowl.
    Then, add the powdered sugar and mix until its just combined.

    Then, add the vanilla extract and a tablespoon of non-dairy milk and mix on low until incorporated. Now, add the second tablespoon of non-dairy milk and mix to incorporate

    Finally, turn the mixer to medium and mix until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds to a minute.

    Adding vanilla extract and non-dairy milk into the mixture in a metal bowl.
    Now, add the vanilla extract and plant milk.
    Finished Vegan Non-Dairy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting in a metal bowl.
    Finally, mix until its smooth and fluffy.

    Expert Tips and Tricks

    Sift the powdered sugar. The goal is smooth, light and fluffy vegan vanilla buttercream frosting. Powdered sugar is prone to clumps, so take the time to make sure it is sifted and free of all clumps.

    Perhaps the most crucial tip is to scrape the bowl down a LOT. When you think you can't scrape the bowl down anymore, do it one more time.

    The paddle attachment doesn't quite reach the side of the bowl so the stuff that gets stuck there won't get incorporated. So, scrape that bowl down throughout the process for the creamiest vanilla frosting of all time.

    A cake frosted with vegan frosting with piped snowmen on top.
    This is the perfect vegan frosting for cake.

    Special Equipment

    You need a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer and a large bowl for this recipe.

    I recommend a stand mixer, but it will work with a hand mixer!

    Uses

    This Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is perfect for:

    Piping onto cupcakes.

    Frosting cakes.

    Filling sandwich cookies.

    Or eating with a spoon!

    Vegan cupcake with vanilla frosting piped into a rosette on top.
    Or to pipe onto cupcakes.

    Storage

    To store, scoop the buttercream frosting into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    For freeze for up to two months.

    To use from cold, allow to sit at room temperature until its pliable, then scoop it into a stand mixer and whip it back up until light and fluffy.

    Looking for More Buttercream and Frosting Recipes?

    Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting

    Vegan Whipped Cream Frosting

    Strawberry Frosting (Vegan!)

    📖 Recipe

    A cupcake with vegan vanilla buttercream frosting piped on top.

    Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

    Megan Calipari
    This Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe is completely dairy-free and is perfect for frosting cakes or piping onto cupcakes! And it only requires 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to make.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 3 Cups
    Calories 1112 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment Or hand mixer and a large bowl
    • 1 Rubber Spatula
    • 1 Sifter
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature see note!
    • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

    Instructions
     

    • Cream the vegan butter in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until its completely smooth and creamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl down a couple of times during this process so everything mixes evenly.
      16 tablespoon Vegan Butter, room temperature
    • Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until its combined, about 1 minute.
      4 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
    • Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk and mix on low until fully incorporated. Then add the remaining tablespoon of milk and mix on low to incorporate.
      2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
    • Now, turn the mixer to medium speed and mix until its light and fluffy, 30 seconds- 1 minute.
    • Use as desired.

    Notes

    Be sure to use a vegan butter that comes in stick form. My two top recommendations are: Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks.
    Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula at every step in this process for the creamiest buttercream!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1CupCalories: 1112kcalCarbohydrates: 161gProtein: 0.3gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 11gSodium: 491mgPotassium: 24mgFiber: 0.02gSugar: 160gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

     Let me know how this recipe worked for you!

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    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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